Windy hill chickens - first flock(s) of my own

[kattabelly]

as it happens this was published a few days ago
https://www.theguardian.com/thefilt...rmarket-free-range-eggs-tasted-rated-tom-hunt

It includes prices, which work out varying from 29 to 63 pence per (all free-range, some organic) egg in the supermarkets included.

Interestingly he said "This was one of the toughest taste tests I’ve done so far... freshness affects the albumen, and yolk colour is now largely engineered through beta carotene-rich feeds such as maize, paprika and marigold. Interestingly, the organic options all had classic sunshine-yellow yolks, in contrast to the vivid orange seen in several non-organic brands. A bold, marigold-orange yolk might be striking, but ultimately it doesn’t tell us all that much about the egg’s flavour. With freshness varying by the box, I boiled all the eggs and scored them instead on what truly counts: taste, provenance and welfare. If you want the best flavour and nutrition, choose eggs with the longest sell-by date in the store."

I generally pay about £4/dozen for eggs from fully free-range hens that forage for a lot of what they eat (exactly how much will vary by season and who I'm buying from).

The only one of those shops we have here is Tesco's, and I think happy egg co are available in some places. Both have tasted disgusting the last few times I tried them. I think having access to basically unlimited eggs from the flock I was living with a couple of years ago has spoiled commercial eggs for me forever.

 

[kattabelly]

Always forget how much I love this stage. Second chick is halfway out and making noise from inside the inc. First chick is doing the chittery "here I am!" noises that they do at bedtime from underneath my chin in response

 

[Perris]

I think having access to basically unlimited eggs from the flock I was living with a couple of years ago has spoiled commercial eggs for me forever.

I think that's true for those of us who let our chickens find a lot of their own food - and for several of my customers too, who have said that they can't explain how exactly but the eggs from my hens just taste better than those from the supermarket - including one who used to get their eggs from Riverford.

 

[kattabelly]

I think that's true for those of us who let our chickens find a lot of their own food - and for several of my customers too, who have said that they can't explain how exactly but the eggs from my hens just taste better than those from the supermarket - including one who used to get their eggs from Riverford.

That flock I lived with a couple years back was right next door to a registered egg producer who sold through local shops and to local bakeries etc. Their hens were also free range but on much more mono(ish)culture open pasture - no hedges and trees and 30ft polytunnel full of veg to raid! Both flocks were Hylines Plus, bought from the same place. When the people I was staying with started doing farm gate sales, neighbours would often secretly let them know that their eggs tasted better than next door's and the chickens clearly thought so too. Some of them would come and visit and a couple actually moved in with our flock.

 

[kattabelly]

I was getting fresh milk straight from the cow at that place for a while too - used to make a coffee in the morning, drink it on the way across the field and then help myself to a mug of milk while I chatted to mum and gave her a comb (Highlands!). Luckily I can still tolerate shop milk after that though.

 

[kattabelly]

Second chick is out, again slightly bloody from pipping through the wrong bit of the membrane. I'll give it a quick wash once it's had a rest.

First one out is doing well

 

[BDutch]

as it happens this was published a few days ago
https://www.theguardian.com/thefilt...rmarket-free-range-eggs-tasted-rated-tom-hunt

It includes prices, which work out varying from 29 to 63 pence per (all free-range, some organic) egg in the supermarkets included.

Interestingly he said "This was one of the toughest taste tests I’ve done so far... freshness affects the albumen, and yolk colour is now largely engineered through beta carotene-rich feeds such as maize, paprika and marigold. Interestingly, the organic options all had classic sunshine-yellow yolks, in contrast to the vivid orange seen in several non-organic brands. A bold, marigold-orange yolk might be striking, but ultimately it doesn’t tell us all that much about the egg’s flavour. With freshness varying by the box, I boiled all the eggs and scored them instead on what truly counts: taste, provenance and welfare. If you want the best flavour and nutrition, choose eggs with the longest sell-by date in the store."

What does free range actually means (legally) on a supermarket package in the UK?
In the Netherlands is doesn’t mean much. Just to say that they are not caged. But most eggs from free range chickens in the supermarket are from chickens who live with max 9 on a square meter and never go outside. They have a 1 ️ label.

 

[Perris]

What does free range actually means (legally) on a supermarket package in the UK?
In the Netherlands is doesn’t mean much. Just to say that they are not caged. But most eggs from free range chickens in the supermarket are from chickens who live with max 9 on a square meter and never go outside. They have a 1 ️ label.

It's quite detailed. See this guidance document; the relevant bit starts on page 13. The 'or Barn' bit is an attempt to allow for temporary periods of enforced housing because of bird flu.
https://assets.publishing.service.g...egislation_covering_the_marketing_of_eggs.pdf

 

[kattabelly]

It's quite detailed. See this guidance document; the relevant bit starts on page 13. The 'or Barn' bit is an attempt to allow for temporary periods of enforced housing because of bird flu.
https://assets.publishing.service.g...egislation_covering_the_marketing_of_eggs.pdf

Was just about to post the same thing. The Scottish version I have is ordered and formatted slightly differently despite the standards looking to all be the same, weirdly.

I know some people in the UK have been having issues with registering as producers when they're using Polyface or Ridgedale style "tractors"/"eggmobiles" for housing, which obviously don't meet minimum standards but are only meant to be used for laying and roosting. Not spoken to them in a while, so I'm not sure if they managed to find a workaround.

 

[kattabelly]

RIR chicks on hatch day

• kattabelly
• Sunday at 8:30 AM

Being this cute should not be legal